Project Planning & Location Design
Project development in the context of environmental stewardship is a balancing act and sometimes complicated depending on the resources in the area of a potential highway project. On larger projects that have greater potential for environmental impacts, staff within the Project Planning and Location Design section of the bureau guide this development through planning, preliminary engineering, and regulatory compliance.
This work involves the planning and development of larger projects from initial concept and classification through preliminary engineering state and federal approvals and occasionally beyond. Highway project planning and design considers the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of transportation improvements within the area of study and tries to balance the impacts with the purpose and need for the project.
Staff within the section are also responsible for developing, leading, and presenting projects at all stages of project development and vet the potential improvements with IDOT management, the public, and other state and local agencies.
The future is not something that just happens it is something that has to be planned for. Staff within the Project Planning & Location Design section help plan for Iowa’s future one project at a time.